Home may be where the heart is (and yoga pose-inspired wall art, for that matter), but that doesn’t necessarily mean the same thing for everyone. As anyone who’s ever sat through the zillion-question Meyers-Briggs personality test knows, extroverts and introverts need different things from pretty much every aspect their lives. So why should their decor be any different?
That’s where intuitive design comes in. It’s the practice of designing your home based on your instincts, personality, and yes, intuition to create the perfect space for you. “Intuitive design is about what feels right and what is right for you,” says Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design. “The term sanctuary means different things to different people, which is why it’s about creating vignettes and different zones that serve the purpose to give you whatever you need out of your home.”
For some, it might mean filling your home with pictures of fabulous people sipping champagne, a la Breakfast At Tiffany’s, while for others all it takes is a cozy blanket, a good book, and complete silence. “Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, your home is where you live, so it should reflect your personality type,” says Diana Hadchity Chedrawy of Leovan Design. “Decorating your home based on your personality will give it a harmonized and balanced feeling that fits your lifestyle, allowing you to live in comfort.”
Read on for some expert-approved tips on how to deck out your home based on your personality type.
If you’re an extrovert…
Extroverts thrive on the presence of others, which means their living rooms could, at any moment, function as full-on entertainment hubs. “It’s important to create spaces where there are zones for conversations,” says Murray. For example, she likes to put in extra seating like poofs, pillowcases, and ottomans, as well as a bar cart where people can congregate, chat, and perhaps mix themselves a kombucha cocktail. “I also love having interesting accessories, artifacts, and books, and lots of different colors and layers and textures,” she says.
Chedrawy suggests using lots of bold, high-contrast patterns in bright colors (consider this permission to click “add to cart” on the entire Jonathan Adler store) and mixing hard edges—think glass, plastic, and metal—with softer fabrics. Then, incorporate some bright lights, and you’ve got yourself all you need for an impromptu partay.
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If you’re an introvert…
Introverts—AKA lovers of all things Hygge—draw their energy from alone time, which means they don’t necessarily need the same people-pleasing objects as their social butterfly counterparts. “Instead of using a lot of colors and whimsical pieces to decorate, it’s more about using colors of the same tone or neutral colors, and keeping it about the textures,” says Murray. She loves to mix organic materials like wood, and knits, and use comfortable seating to create an environment where you can cozy up and say, “see ya later,” to the rest of the world.
Instead of an open furniture plan that invites people to congregate, your design layouts could instead have smaller, more enclosed areas for one (or plus one). “Arrange your furniture in an intimate grouping to create a warm and comfortable mood,” says Chedrawy. You could even swap out any bright patterns for soft, warm neutrals and pastels, and use ambient lighting to set your own perfect Zenned-out scene.
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To determine which decor is right for you, check out these 6 surefire signs that you’re an introvert. If it checks out, invest in one of these cozy throws that you’ll want to bury under all winter (and beyond).
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